Best-ever showing for grad programs in U.S. News

The University of Nevada, Reno has achieved its strongest showing ever in the annual rankings of the best graduate programs by U.S. News and World Report. The College of Engineering and School of Medicine are ranked among the best “schools.” Twelve additional University graduate programs are ranked, with five placing in the top 100 of their field.

“These rankings reflect the quality of faculty and the caliber of their teaching and research, and our peers across the country are taking notice,” said Marc Johnson, University provost.

The College of Engineering was ranked number 126 in the list of “best engineering schools.” Among the public universities listed, the College of Engineering ranked number 86.

The University of Nevada School of Medicine was ranked number 89 in the list of “best medical schools - research.” Among the public university medical schools listed, the School of Medicine ranked number 54.

In addition to these two showings in the “best schools” categories, the University was ranked in several program and specialty lists, including the following top-100 rankings:

Number 43 for clinical psychology

Number 61 for environmental engineering

Number 63 for earth sciences

Number 65 for civil engineering

Number 72 for speech pathology

The University also achieved top-225 rankings in the categories of biological sciences, chemistry, mechanical engineering, physics, psychology, part-time MBA and nursing programs.

“These graduate programs and our research portfolio serve many of our state’s major industries, including geological and earth resource industries, mining, engineering industries, gaming and gaming manufacturing,” Johnson said. “They are important to the continued emergence of future-oriented industries, such as renewable energy and health care, which can provide the foundation for a stronger, more sustainable economy.”

“It is exciting to see the College of Engineering move into the top 100 among public universities, with several of its graduate programs moving into the top 125 programs,” said Marsha Read, interim vice president for research and dean of the graduate school. “Not only are the graduate programs in engineering bolstered by the strong research activities of the faculty, but they produce a significant number of skilled, future employees making an important contribution to the economic development and workforce needs of Nevada.”

Read was especially pleased with the strong showing across many of the University’s science-oriented programs, which she said help create a path to medical school, as well as other science, technology and health careers. She also noted the earth science program and ranking, a category new to the U.S. News and World Report rankings.

“The University’s earth science graduate programs enjoy a strong cadre of faculty and research interests, including hydrology, geological sciences and environmental sciences, which are all particularly relevant to Nevada and the Great Basin in general,” Read said.

The University’s Office of Research reports that research funding to the institution has more than doubled over the past 10 years, from $34 million in 1999 to $73 million for fiscal year 2008-09. The University is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a high-research-activity university, one of 100 institutions nationwide in this classification, and has ranked nationally in the top 100 for total research funding of public research universities for the past 10 years. In 2008, the University was ranked in the top 50 public research universities in the United States by The Center for Measuring University Performance, a national research center based at Arizona State University that tracks performance of more than 650 research universities.